Has it really been another year?  Truly?  It is so hard to believe.  It really doesn't seem possible that she is already six.

She makes me laugh and sometimes cry.  She is sweet and stubborn and funny and kind.  She can be a bit sassy, too.  Five was good to her - so much better than four.  I love the little person she has become.  It makes me want to squeeze her and not let go, but that just wouldn't be fair.  She wouldn't stand for it either.  No, it just wouldn't do.

So fare thee well five....and hello six.  I think it's going to be a good year.  Happy Birthday Kate.

Have a great weekend, everyone!

I have been tidying the studio, starting new projects, knitting at break-neck speed and taking some outdoor coffee breaks.  I love this feeling of accomplishment - I just hope I can keep it up with the busy times ahead.  We have three birthdays coming up in this house and the holidays to boot.  Things may be quiet here on the blog.  Photo posts, probably.  Maybe some words.  We'll see what develops.

Happy Thursday!

Thanks for all the great knitting advice yesterday.  I appreciate it so much.  I do knit pretty big gauge swatches and normally measure over 4 inches.   I took Sarah's advice and measured what I had already knit over 6 inches and came up with 4.67 stitches per inch.  (Thank you, Sarah!)  We (that is Sarah and me) think I can continue on and get to 4.5 with some blocking.  Phew.

Last night was my local craft swap.  This time there were 8 of us so we each made 7 things.  I have spent the last month or so of carpool/soccer/volleyball practice knitting fingerless mitts.  I did one pair of Fetching (remember this?).  I used that pattern as a template of sorts and came up with some other rib, cable and lace versions.  They were a hit with the crafty ladies and I had fun making them.

Time for a new carpool project.   What crafts are you doing on the go?

or more precisely, why is it so hard for me to get it right?

When I knit my Juliet, my gauge on 10.5 needles was too many stitches to the inch, on 11's it was too few.  I went with the 11's because it was closer overall.  I kind of wish I would have used the 10.5's, mostly because the yarn I used is really elastic and I think I could have gotten away with it a bit smaller.  I still love it, but if I were to do it again, I'd do it differently.

I started a new project this weekend.  According to the yarn label, I should get 4.5 stitches to the inch on 8's.  I know I knit big so, 9 times out of 10, I need to go down at least one, if not two needle sizes.  So I knit my gauge swatch on 7's and get 5 stitches to the inch.  I try it again on 8's....still 5 stitches to the inch.  On 9's....5 stitches to the inch.  What the heck?  Can someone please explain this to me?  How is this at all possible?

I went with the 8's.  I think I probably knit bigger in the round.  That sounds possible, doesn't it?  I hope so.  I really do.  Fingers crossed that it was the right choice.

I actually quilted something.

My patchwork swap partner, Jenny, likes rainbows.  I went through the stash and found suitable colors.  (Note to self:  buy more yellow and purple.)  I cut, pieced, quilted and then cut some more to make it into a little pouch.

I lined it with a scrap.

I had fun making it although the zipper gave me troubles.  The green one is the second one - the first one was orange and I somehow managed to screw that one up.  The quilting, however, made me giddy.  I just love that walking foot.  I cannot wait to give it another go.  And maybe even try my hand at free motion.  Maybe.  Free motion quilting kind of scares me, you see.  Maybe this will be the weekend I face my fears.  First I have to clean up the studio, though.  Really.  It's bad.

Happy Friday!

Here's my Tie One On submission for the local pride theme.

The background fabric is a tiny brown and white polka dot.  The pocket and ruffle fabric came from a dress that used to belong to Kate.

I trimmed the pocket in some vintage green ric rack that Georgia and Nolan gave me for Christmas last year.

It didn't turn out as I had originally pictured, but I am still happy with it.  The photos are crap, but what do you expect from the supreme procrastinator?  I literally just finished it and the sun is almost down.  And my photographer is 7.  Hmmm....do you think that may have something to do with it?

Thanks for all the well wishes yesterday.  I am feeling a whole lot better today.   Still tired, but better.  The weekend is looking good already.

Is it really here?  Already?  Eek.  I think it came kind of fast this year.  I have candy to give out and the kids have costumes.  Jane is a pirate and Kate is a mermaid.  Both costumes are store-bought pieces of junk, but I am okay with that.  I couldn't make them after last year.  Well, I could have thrown a pirate costume together pretty easily, but the picky dresser didn't like that idea.  Kate's costume has already ripped.  Twice.  Oh well.  I am not fixing it again - it seems futile.

I've been sick since Sunday morning.  Monday afternoon it was a confirmed case of strep throat with a sinus infection chaser.  I'm feeling better today, but I am still not up to snuff.  I'm tired and just want to nap.  But I am the second grade room mother, so I have to go run the Halloween Party this afternoon.  Thank goodness we have a Krispy Kreme nearby.  The thought of making cupcakes really wears me out.  I wish I could find a good, age appropriate, short video for the kids to watch because playing GHOST bingo sounds like a lot of work, too.    But then again, I have the bingo game and I don't have the video.  I guess bingo wins.

On a brighter note, Jane brought home this drawing.  It made me smile.

Off to stuff goody bags (oh joy!) and then work up the energy to take a shower.  Maybe after school I will feel well enough to carve pumpkins.  Then again, no one has asked about doing that so I may not bring it up.  Yes, I am feeling like a bad mom.

Enough grumbling.  Hope your Halloween is safe and full of fun.  And candy - lots of candy.  Hey, I think a bite of chocolate might be just what the doctor ordered.  Now where did I put it?